Suddenly, It's 1957!

[TG57Roadmaster]

"The Big Thrill's Buick!", in these AP Wirephotos taken December 7th and 8th, 1956.

(There are some Chevrolets, too).

 

Larger, A.P. Wirephoto of the 1957 National Auto Show.

 

Larger, A.P. Wirephoto of the 1957 National Auto Show.

 

TG

 

[Caballero2]

I would like to know the WW width on the Buicks on display.  It appears there are two widths. The widest on the chassis display and on the Roadmaster Convertible.  Then again, maybe it is just in the mind of the viewer.

[michel88]

1957 was a great year for styling on almost all cars.  Then came 1958 and most took a dramatic down turn.  No offense meant to owners of 1958 cars, there are many 58's I would love to own!

[Bill Stoneberg]

Not necessarily a downturn as much as they found and abused chrome and stainless. Or maybe it was a case of "if a little is good, a lot must be better".

[NTX5467]

Possibly that some "new technologies" were discovered to make the wider stainless steel moldings, rather than just "spears"?  That 1958 was the first model year to showcase these new things?  More stainless . . . bigger engines . . . more power  . . . more headlights!

 

There are some cars where 1957 was the first year for their new styling cues/bodies and 1958 refinements made them a little better.  But when 1958 was the first year for a styling change, styling became more intense.  GM seemed to want to exert their power by making the outer skins/bodies different each year, from 1957 to 1960, but the expenses must have accumulated as things became more normal (2-3 years per significant change) from about 1961 model year onward.  Or they spent a lot of money with little sales leadership?  Less than expected?  But it probably took that long for the recessive 1958 economy to filter down through the ranks of vehicle styling changes.

 

Happy New Year!

NTX5467

Edited January 1, 2016 by NTX5467 (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

1957 was a great year for styling on almost all cars.  Then came 1958 and most took a dramatic down turn....

 

For many years after 1958, just about all cars of 1958--

and the 1959 Cadillac as well--were considered the lowest

of the low point in automotive styling.  If you read car books,

you'll see such opinions as "the most grotesque in the

company's history."   Books written even

in the 1980's make that point in no uncertain terms.

 

Though most 1958 GM cars tended to be bulbous, heavy-looking,

and lacking litheness and grace, now they're appreciated

as a part of their era.  Scandinavian collectors seemingly can't

get enough of them, and at one large show in Sweden, an

American friend of mine couldn't count all the 1958 Buicks!

 

I still can't fully appreciate, however, the 1958 Cadillac Fleetwood:

Edited January 2, 2016 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Ttotired]

I have to say that the Chevy line, I, like about everyone else, thought the 58 chev was nothing on the 57, but that aside, I love all the stories from the era about the panics the designers used to get into trying to (basically) win a pissing contest

 

The OP headline from this thread shows that he is well aware of the mopar slogan for the release of the 57 model range "suddenly its 1960" which really seemed to kick the design wars into gear

 

I am watching the "Crime Story" series at the moment and being full of this era cars of all sorts, really makes you appreciate how hard the designers had to work

 

There are some really out there cars (eg, 1961 plymouth)

 

A bit of a disclaimer here

 

I have a 60 dodge phoenix, a 60 plymouth and I am just starting on my 58 buick

 

Mick

[TG57Roadmaster]

I have to say that the Chevy line, I, like about everyone else, thought the 58 chev was nothing on the 57, but that aside, I love all the stories from the era about the panics the designers used to get into trying to (basically) win a pissing contest

 

The OP headline from this thread shows that he is well aware of the mopar slogan for the release of the 57 model range "suddenly its 1960" which really seemed to kick the design wars into gear

 

I am watching the "Crime Story" series at the moment and being full of this era cars of all sorts, really makes you appreciate how hard the designers had to work

 

There are some really out there cars (eg, 1961 plymouth)

 

A bit of a disclaimer here

 

I have a 60 dodge phoenix, a 60 plymouth and I am just starting on my 58 buick

 

Mick

 

Mick,

 

I see your Dodge Phoenix, and raise you with a '61 Polara, that my buddy Dave's Dad bought new, and Dave still has...

 

 

Thanks for getting my "Suddenly It's 1957" analogy...I have a beauty of a '57 Roadmaster. When the magazine wags of the day saw the three piece backlights of the '57 GM B-body GM cars, they quipped, "Suddenly It's 1949". But you probably already knew that.

 

(The Roadies had a one piece back glass, shared with Supers and Caddys).

 

 

Happy New Year!

 

TG

 

Ps, When I hit the Lottery, one of my buys will be a '60 Polara Wagon...

 

Edited January 3, 2016 by TG57Roadmaster (see edit history)

[lancemb]

I have to say that the Chevy line, I, like about everyone else, thought the 58 chev was nothing on the 57, but that aside, I love all the stories from the era about the panics the designers used to get into trying to (basically) win a pissing contest

The OP headline from this thread shows that he is well aware of the mopar slogan for the release of the 57 model range "suddenly its 1960" which really seemed to kick the design wars into gear

I am watching the "Crime Story" series at the moment and being full of this era cars of all sorts, really makes you appreciate how hard the designers had to work

There are some really out there cars (eg, 1961 plymouth)

A bit of a disclaimer here

I have a 60 dodge phoenix, a 60 plymouth and I am just starting on my 58 buick

Mick

I have always loved the 58 Chevys. Wish I'd have been able to get a nice one before everyone else caught on. The 60 Dodge is fantastic styling as well IMO. Quirky but cool!

[Ttotired]

Even though I own the dart, I like the front on the polara/matadore much better than whats on mine, but it is what it is

 

Those wagons are hard to find and (especially if its an x ram) quite expensive

 

I am more partial to the 60 mopar wagons than the earlier ones, mostly because the fin ends leaned in backwards until then

 

Mopar really got into the jet age design and (I think) really took it to the extreme, where Ford and GM were a bit more conservative, in a lot of cases, that was probably not a bad thing

 

Even today, a lot of people dont get what the fins and all the body sculpting was about and dont get the cars

 

When I see them looking at the Dodge with a sort of confused look on their faces, I just tell them to think of the Jetsons and tell them that this was all futuristic for the time, or I tell them to think of rockets and flying saucers and the like, they soon get it and then start looking closer with a smile on their face

 

Mick

[TG57Roadmaster]

The '60 Polaras stop me me dead in my tracks anytime I see 'em...

 

 

 

 

Jetsonian Design, indeed!

 

TG

[ScarredKnightfan]

Oh my goodness ... those are some awesome vintage scenes.  Thanks for posting them, TG.  LOVE seeing photos like these!

 

 

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